The Seventh Season finally lets Andy fill every episode with true Southern hospitality and not Hollywood substitutes. »»
Garrow’s Law: The legal series that had the nerve to lose the three piece suits for proper leggings. »»
The cases handled this season once more kept up the calm nature of the crimes. »»
The Andy Griffith Show: 50th Anniversary - The Best of Mayberry brings together so many of the moments that have made this series endearing. »»
The hour long episodes easily juggle Rumple’s case investigation, office situation and domestic life. It’s a well rounded view of a well rounded man. »»
If you’ve a relative eager to find a mystery show that has the same tone and pacing as Matlock, Pie In the Sky is the answer. »»
Does Matlock improve every season or does the time between DVD releases bring me closer to the target demographic? »»
This is still an entertaining bucket of 23 deep fried legal thrillers. »»
Pie in the Sky: Series 2 gives us an investigator who knows you can’t solve a crime if your stomach is grumbling. »»
Watching Don and Andy playing neighbors is heartwarming. These two belonged together on the small screen. They have such a charming ease when playing two guys in the South. My only complaint is that each episode should have ended with Don and Andy sitting on the porch, hand cranking ice cream and wrapping up the case. »»
Matlock is the only mystery show the lowers the blood pressure. Every other crime-solving TV show applies the heat to create dramatic tension. They amp up the music, overplay the sound effects and edit the action moments to startle. That’s not how things are down in Atlanta. Ben Matlock (Andy Griffith) allowed his cases to naturally unravel to expose the truth. This is a Southern drama with its causal courtroom nature. Nothing gets too hectic. Even the murders and fights have a leisurely pace. Perhaps this is the secret to why senior citizens are addicted to Matlock. They can enjoy a good crime yarn without being visually victimized. Plus there’s the classic charm of Andy Griffith keeping the peace as he practices the law. »»
William Conrad struck gold during his Golden Years. His early career had him playing nameless goons in crime films. He voiced Matt Dillon on the radio version of Gunsmoke. When the show was brought to TV, Conrad remained in the audio booth because he was too fat to play the sheriff. But he persisted in his desire to be a lead actor on TV. Success arrived in the early ‘70s with Cannon. He didn't even have to diet for the gig. But the good times didn't end there. After guest starring on Matlock, Conrad found himself fighting crime in primetime instead of collecting his Social Security check. His infamous weight made him perfect for the lead on Jake and the Fatman. »»
